


The Shepherd's Gambit

by for_t2



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Chess, Crack, F/F, Humor, Normandy-SR2, The Reaper War, Tournaments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:40:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29364132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_t2/pseuds/for_t2
Summary: Comms Specialist Traynor had a brilliant idea to improve morale onboard the Normandy. But, as it turns out, Shepard isn't exactly good at playing chess...
Relationships: Female Shepard/Samantha Traynor
Kudos: 10





	The Shepherd's Gambit

Commander Shepard had faced a lot of harrowing dangers in her life (so far). But nothing really quite filled her with so much dread as having finished yet another diplomatic meeting with the Council with yet another agreement for yet another meeting to set yet another date for yet another meeting.

She was starting to miss thresher maws.

Her mood didn’t even improve much when she tromped back into her room, her hamster munching happily on a korkro root, her fish glimmering ethereally in their tank, and Traynor splayed out on her couch, dead focused on some chess recording. “You look like you’re having fun.”

“Shh!” Dead focused. At least the shower would be free for a while. “This is the Horizon Championship Finals! Just a couple more moves and Oshoala can…” Until Traynor paused the recording. “Did it go that badly?”

“It always go badly.” Shepard reversed course, slumping down next to her on the couch instead. “We’re losing the war with the Reapers, we won’t stop fighting each other, the Illusive Man is still out there, and my morale is fucking terrible.” Fucking terrible might’ve been an understatement. “Everyone’s morale is.”

It was true. Despite all the Normandy’s carefully calibrated systems, the atmosphere on the ship kept getting gloomier and gloomier. “Yeah.”

Shepard sighed deeply before letting her head fall onto Traynor’s shoulder. “I don’t know how to fix it anymore.”

“Hm.” Traynor nodded in agreement, a hand absent-mindedly stroking through the Commander’s hair. A hand that stopped after a few seconds. “You know,” Traynor reached for her chess set. “I think I might have an idea.”

*****

“A chess tournament among the crew.” EDI’s mobile platform glanced from Shepard to Traynor. “An intriguing idea.”

“It’s not mine.” Shepard shrugged good-graciously and slung an arm around Traynor. “All credit goes to my brilliant comms specialist.”

“Of course.” EDI nodded. “But I do believe one small change to the plans would ensure optimal amusement.”

Shepard thought the plans were great. “What’s that?”

“I believe that it would be best if I were to serve as the moderator.” EDI’s voice stayed completely synthetically even. “My processing power would ensure a 99,999999% degree of impartial accuracy. And they would otherwise allow me to, as you would say, crush the competition.”

It was a good point, but it still made Shepard chuckle. “I didn’t know your programming allowed you to be cocky, EDI.”

“Well,” Traynor muttered next to her. “You have to admit it works.”

Shepard could definitely make that change to the… “It what?”

Traynor shrugged. Blushed. “What?”

Fortunately for her, EDI interrupted that train of conversation. “Does that mean we have an agreement, Commander?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Shepard tried to pull herself back on topic. It was a very good point. EDI would be an optimal moderator. “But, wait. That means I’d need to play.”

*****

Morale had improved. It hadn’t taken long after Shepard had made the announcement that the crew had gotten fired up. Quickly. It was good to see them distracted, even if it was just for a few hours.

And, as for Shepard, well, this was an opportunity for her to demonstrate that she was the best solider in the gorram galaxy. Plus, it was her ship.

And, best of all, she had drawn Javik in the first round. He may have been the last remaining member of a species that once ruled the galaxy, but that probably meant he had never heard of the game before in his life. And Shepard wasn’t going to be above taking slightly advantage of it. She could be competitive when she wanted to. “Oh, this is going to be good.”

It only took five moves.

And Shepard was left staring at the board. “…how?”

“In my day, the losers would’ve been fed to the vorlack.” Shepard didn’t have time to ask what a vorlack was before Javik humphed and stood up. “Find me when you have a worthy challenger for your primitive games.”

Shepard just kept staring at the board.

Five moves.

How the hell did she lose?

*****

At least the rest of the crew was having fun. Even if the noise level in the ship was steadily getting louder and louder. Especially after Traynor roundly defeated Tali. “Bosh’tet!”

Especially after Liara pulled off what Traynor assured Shepard was a damn near perfect Trompowsky Attack. “Hypothetically, if was the Shadow Broker, I would know your every move, Vakarian. Your. Every. Mo—”

“Checkmate.”

“What?” Liara eyes dropped down to the board as Garrus leaned back after finishing his move. “I… By the goddess.”

“Nothing beats a Turian for tactics!” Garrus laughed. “Not even the hypothetical Shadow Broker could beat us!”

And especially after Engineer Daniels utterly routed Donnelly. “Ha ha! Suck it, Kenneth!”

*****

“A chess tournament, eh?” Anderson’s holographic image flickered blue. “That brings me back to when I was a young student in the officer’s academy.”

Shepard was learning something new every day of this war. “I didn’t know you played chess, sir.”

“Oh, I don’t.” Anderson chuckled. “Not in a long time, anyway. It was just an easy way to pass the long stretches of time between missions. And there was this Lieutenant in the ship that docked across from mine…” He chuckled again. “You probably don’t want to hear an old soldier’s tales. Not when you have a tournament to win.” He pumped his fist. “Who are you going to beat in the next round?”

“I…” Shepard wasn’t quite sure how to say it. “Sir, I…” Really didn’t know how to convey the news. “I didn’t make it, sir.”

“You…” Anderson frowned. “Oh.”

“I…” And she definitely didn’t know how to handle the disappointment in his voice. “I’m sorry, sir.”

“I’m sure it’s not your fault, Shepard.” Anderson steeled himself right back up. “We have a lot of distractions on our hands. You’ll win next time.” He banged his fist against his palm to emphasise the point. “I’m sure of it.”

*****

If the first round had gotten loud, the second round had gotten louder yet. And the semi-finals even louder.

So loud that Shepard had barely managed to talk to EDI to convince her to call for a break before the finals (EDI had decided that telling Shepard that her hearing sensors allowed her to pick up all noises on the ship without problem was something she could afford to postpone).

And as soon as the last semi-final match was over and done with, Shepard grabbed Traynor. And pulled her up to her cabin.

“Hey! I haven’t even begun to celeb…” Traynor’s expression grew more serious the moment Shepard’s door shut. “Shepard? Is everything okay?”

“I am in so much shit, Sam.” Shepard was finally allowing herself to externally freak out in a way she hadn’t since she found out the Alliance had scrapped the Makos. “Anderson wants… You need to teach me how to play chess.”

“I what?” Traynor sighed. “Shepard, I love you, but I have a final to prepare for. The Turians have amazing discipline. Their grandmasters—”

“Traynor.” Shepard took her hands. Did everything but get down on her knees and beg. “You are the most brilliant communications specialist I have ever served with, my hamster loves you, and you are the best chess player I know. If you can’t teach me, nobody can.”

Even if it usually worked out in her favour, Commander Shepard wasn’t always very good at estimating the odds. A fact that Traynor knew from first hand experience. “Oh boy.”

*****

The hour of the finals was upon them, and the ship was dead silent. There wasn’t a soldier left at their station and there wasn’t a breath that wasn’t being held.

“Hmm.” Garrus stopped before he picked up one of the pieces. “Hmmmmm.” Studied the board a little more intensely. “Ah!” Moved. “Boom! Check! My name it Garrus Vakarian, and this is my favourite move on the Normandy!”

Traynor didn’t flinch. She just smirked. “Nice try, Vakarian.” She counter-attacked. Knocked off the check. “Calibrate this.” And had Garrus in check within two minutes.

Shepard was very proud of her favourite comms specialist in the Alliance. Or, at least, she would’ve been if she wasn’t dedicating her entire focus to the game. Traynor had given her some very specific pointers for what to look out for.

And considering that, uh, Shepard had decided to send Anderson a message challenging him to a game (for old times’ sake), made improving her game a top priority.

And she was starting to get it.

“Oh, I will, Traynor.” Garrus made his move. “I will.”

Shepard definitely thought she was starting to get it.

“I don’t doubt it, Vakarian.” Traynor’s eyes skimmed the board. Ended in a smirk. “But nobody defeats me at my—”

The ships proximity alarms took that moment to start blaring.

“Incoming ships, Commander.” Joker’s voice followed through on the comms a second later. “Cereberus by the look of them.”

“Shit.” Shepard jumped up from her corner. “Everyone to action stations. Now!” She didn’t wait for the crew to start scrambling to march towards the chessboard. To turn it off. “Traynor, see if you can intercept their comms. I want to find out they came from. Garrus, Liara, get suited up. Just in case.” This time, they were finally going to outmanoeuvre Cerberus. And this time, she was going to make the Illusive Man pay. “Let’s go!”

Plus, next time, she would be prepared. Next time, Commander Shepard would win the Official Normandy Chess Championship.


End file.
